


Remember

by CrownPrincessMoon



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Episode: s03e21 Cause and Effect, Established Relationship, Iris West Is An Awesome Sister, M/M, Spoilers, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-16
Packaged: 2018-11-01 06:49:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10916556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrownPrincessMoon/pseuds/CrownPrincessMoon
Summary: Basically, my version of the episode "Cause and Effect"*CONTAINS SPOILERS*





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, guys!  
> I basically wrote this to see if I can shake myself out of my writer's block with "Brightest Night and Darkest Day"  
> I think this about did it.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

I'm sorry, come again?"

The confused archer asked the flustered engineer.  
Cisco grimaced, before trying again with a strained smile.  
"Barry has amnesia."  
"Amnesia, like: He's forgotten everything amnesia?" Felicity asked, inserting herself into the conversation.  
"That is the most common form of amnesia, Miss Smoak," Julian answered with the smallest smirk.  
Oliver furrowed his brows.  
"How did Ba-?" He began.  
The elevator opened up and Barry walked out, eyes wide.  
"Whoa!" He exclaimed  
Julian grimaced. "Barry, I told you to stay upstairs!"  
"Barry!" Felicity exclaimed before running over to him and grasping his forearm.  
"Are you okay?"  
Barry gave Felicity a confused look and pulled away from her.  
He looked to Cisco.  
"Do I know her?" He asked.  
"What?" Felicity asked expression confused, "Of course you know me, Barry! I'm Felicity!"  
Barry stared at her blankly.  
"You know, greatest hacker ever?"  
He said nothing.  
"Your friend and sort of ex-girlfriend?"  
Barry shrugged helplessly.  
"I don't know you. Sorry." He said sheepishly before brightening up immediately.  
"But it's nice to meet you!" He held out his hand, "I'm Bart."  
"Bart?" Oliver repeated, turning to raise an eyebrow at Cisco.  
The engineer smiled guiltily. "He didn't like the name, Barry."  
Felicity gave a hesitant smile before shaking Barry's hand. "It's nice to meet you...Bart."  
He gave another thousand-watt smile before walking away to look around the Arrow Cave.  
Felicity re-joined them on the platform.  
"What happened?!" She asked, "Did a supervillain with the ability to erase minds attack the Flash or...?"  
There came a laugh from Curtis's desk.  
They all turned to see Barry twirling a metal rod between his fingers before stilling it to point at Felicity."  
"That sounds like the lamest superpower ever."  
Felicity gave him a strained smile, before turning to face Cisco and Julian again.  
"What happened?" She hissed while slapping Cisco's shoulder.  
"Ow!" He said, taking a step away from her,  
"Calm down! It's actually a pretty funny story. I'm sure it'll make you laugh. Even you, Oliver!"  
Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Impress me."

About 2 minutes later, Oliver was indeed not laughing. In fact, he looked seconds away from putting an arrow into both Cisco and his British friend.  
"You guys experimented on him and gave him amnesia?" Oliver asked, incredulously.  
"It was an accident!" Cisco exclaimed at the same time Julian muttered, "It was consensual."  
Oliver rubbed his hands over his face. He did not have time for this.  
"So, how are you going to fix him?" He asked.  
Cisco grimaced. "We haven't...exactly...thought of a way yet."  
Oliver sighed. "Where do I come in?"  
"We need you to watch over, Barry," Julian answered.  
At his raised eyebrow, Cisco elaborated.  
"Star Labs isn't exactly...the safest place for someone with no memories to be."  
"But the Arrow Cave is?" Felicity asked with a snort, causing the group to look at her.  
"What?" She asked, "There's like an explosive, gun, or arrow in every other drawer here."  
"It'll be better and safer if he just stays here," Cisco said, turning to Oliver.  
Oliver gave another sigh and turned to see Barry - Bart? - staring at his Green Arrow suit in awe.  
He traced the mask with his fingertips, eyes curiously bright.  
"Think of it like a...Date Day!" Cisco suddenly exclaimed turning Oliver's attention back to the engineer.  
"What?" He asked.  
"I don't think I've heard Barry even mention you in the past couple weeks. He's been too busy with Savitar and you've been too busy with Prometheus. Think of this like a day off!"  
"Superheroes don't take days off." Oliver deadpanned at the same time Felicity exclaimed, "That's a great idea!"  
He scowled at her, but she ignored him.  
"I'll make sure Oliver isn't a brooding vigilante and that Barry doesn't accidentally kill himself."  
Julian smiled. "That would be appreciated."  
"Great!" Cisco clapped his hands, "We'll call you guys when we have a fix."  
They started for the elevator, only to have Cisco turn around again.  
"Oh, and he doesn't know he has powers so...good luck with that."  
Before Oliver could even think about grabbing his bow and quiver, the elevator door closed.  
He sighed again.  
"OK, then, where's Bar-?" Oliver cut off quickly when he discovered Barry holding his bow. That was already a problem in itself, made worse by the fact that Barry had managed to nock an arrow.  
Backwards.  
"Whoa, there!" Oliver said as he grabbed the weapon out of the bewildered man's hands.  
Barry blinked at him in confusion.  
"Was I holding it wrong?" He asked, innocently.  
"Something like that," Oliver replied as he set his bow down on a metal table.  
"Do I know you too?" Barry asked with a shy smile.  
"Yes, actually!" Felicity said, stepping down from the platform to approach them.  
"Oliver is your bo-"  
"I'm your friend." Oliver interrupted.  
He ignored the look Felicity was giving him and held out his hand.  
Barry shook it with a wide smile.  
"Nice to meet you, Oliver. I'm Bartholomew, but you can call me Bart or Barry or whatever. What did you call me before I lost my memories?"  
"Barr," Oliver replied.  
Barry smiled. "I like it."  
"I'm glad to hear it," Oliver replied with the smallest smile.  
His phone rang suddenly, causing Barry to look around in confusion.  
"Excuse me," he said, pulling his phone out.  
'Watch him.' He mouthed to Felicity before moving away to pick up the call.  
"Hello?" He answered.  
"Oliver, you need to get down to the office. There's some paperwork you need to sign and approve." Quentin said.  
Oliver rubbed at his forehead.  
"Now is not the best time, Quentin. I have to look for Prometheus and Barry's here and-"  
"Your boyfriend's here? Then bring him to the office. I'm sure he can wait for a little."  
"Right." Oliver murmured. He pinched the bridge of his nose.  
"I'll be right there."  
"Good. See you soon." Quentin replied.  
"Mmmhhh," Oliver said before disconnecting the call.  
He went to where Felicity and Barry still stood.  
Felicity was laughing at something the younger man had said and Oliver didn't think he had ever seen Barry's eyes so bright.  
"I have to go to City Hall," Oliver said, grabbing his blazer off the back of a chair.  
"Oh!" Felicity exclaimed, "Then you can take Barry with you!"  
Oliver frowned.  
"Felicity, I really don't think-"  
"I'll be busy searching for Prometheus all day, Oliver. I can't watch him. Bring him with you."  
"Felicity, I can't! You know-"  
"Why don't you just listen for once-"  
As they bickered back and forth, Barry watched them with an amused glint in eyes. He finally asked,  
"Are you guys dating?"  
Oliver and Felicity paused their argument to stare at him then each other.  
"Take him." Felicity's voice left no room for argument.  
Oliver groaned but relented.  
"C'mon, Barry!" He ordered, before starting towards the elevator.  
Barry skipped after him, pausing to call out, "Bye, Felicity! It was nice meeting you!"  
"Bye...Bart."  
Barry beamed and walked into the elevator with Oliver.  
Oliver soon found out that even without the knowledge of his powers, Barry was extremely hyper.  
His foot tapped rapidly and his long fingers drummed against any surface he could get his hands on.  
Without thinking, Oliver reached and grabbed Barry's hands, pulling them close to him.  
Barry flushed red and Oliver released him.  
"Sorry." he murmured when the elevator door opened  
"I-it's okay," Barry replied, giving Oliver a sideways glance.  
Oliver cleared his throat. "C'mon."  
They walked outside and Oliver held the passenger door of his car open for Barry.  
The young man gave him a smile, before sliding in.  
Oliver closed the door and crossed to the other side, climbing in himself.  
He started his car and pulled out onto the street.  
Out of the corner of his eye, Oliver watched Barry twist completely in his seat to stare out the window.  
His green eyes held a child-like wonder that Oliver hadn't seen in a very long time.  
They finally pulled to a stop in front of City Hall.  
"Cool!" Barry breathed, opening his door and stepping out.  
"Barry! B-barry, wait!" Oliver called after the young man who had disappeared into the building.  
Oliver climbed out of his car and jogged into the entrance of the Hall, hoping that Barry hadn't gotten too far.  
Thankfully, Barry was still there. He stood in the center of it all, spinning around in slow circles.  
Oliver rushed over and grasped his arm, stilling him.  
"What are you doing?" he asked.  
Barry smiled at him. "This place is pretty cool. Have I ever been here before?"  
Oliver answered while steering the young man to his office.  
"Yes, actually."  
"When?" Barry asked.  
"The week after I was sworn in."  
"Why'd I wait a week?"  
Oliver hesitated for a moment. "You were busy. On a family trip."  
"Oh!" Barry said, eyes brightening, "Was it a fun trip?"  
Oliver paused in front of his office, turning to face Barry who was still wearing a bright, happy smile.  
The last thing Oliver wanted to do was tell Barry the real reason for his delayed visit.  
"Oliver?" Barry pressed.  
"It was the best trip ever. You loved it." He replied softly, rubbing his hands up and down Barry's arms.  
Oliver wondered how it was possible for Barry's smile to become even more vibrant, but it did.  
Oliver's office door swung open.  
"Ahem."  
Oliver jerked away from Barry, unaware of how close he had gotten to the younger man.  
Barry tilted his head in confusion, but Oliver ignored him in favor of turning to face Quentin who was raising an eyebrow at him.  
He willed the blush away from his cheeks as he cleared his throat.  
"Quentin." Oliver greeted the other man as he walked into his office.  
"Oliver," Quentin replied before turning his attention to Barry, "How's it going, kid?"  
Barry looked around before pointing to himself. "Me?"  
Quentin frowned as he closed the door.  
"Um, yeah? Who else would I be talking to?"  
Barry shrugged, mouth opening to speak before closing as something across the room caught his attention.  
"What's up with him?" Quentin asked.  
"Um, well," Oliver began, struggling with where to begin.  
"This chair has wheels on it!" Barry suddenly exclaimed from behind Oliver's desk.  
The young man spun himself a couple times before slowing to a stop with a giggle. He blushed when he caught Oliver's gaze.  
"Is it okay if I do this?"  
Oliver couldn't help the softening of his features or the love-dovey expression that probably settled itself across his face.  
"Sure. Knock yourself out." He replied with a small smile.  
Barry grinned at him and Oliver felt himself melt a little.  
Quentin's strong grip on his arm jostled him back to reality.  
"What's going on with Allen?" The older man whispered.  
Oliver grimaced before answering. "Temporary Amnesia."  
"How?"  
"He got it through his line of work."  
Quentin nodded in understanding. Although Oliver had never admitted outright to Barry being the Flash, the former detective seemed to have figured it out himself.  
"Hope he gets better," Quentin said, clapping Oliver on the shoulder.  
He gave a strained smile. "Thank you."  
Quentin left, closing the door behind him.  
Oliver turned around to face his desk where Barry had already found something else to occupy his attention.  
He sat down and went through his papers, signing some into action and while others he revised.  
Before long, Oliver found himself staring at a police report reading that the law enforcement had yet to find Adrian Chase.  
Nowadays, the thought of Chase sent Oliver's stomach plummeting.  
He could remember the week of torture clearly in his mind's eye.  
He could remember being forced to watch Evelyn "die".  
But most of all, Oliver could remember the words Adrian had forced him to admit.  
That he liked killing.  
That he was a monster who savored the feel of someone dying at his fingertips. That he was an abomination and-  
"That's a scary expression," Barry said, his voice cutting through Oliver's dark thoughts.  
Oliver shook his head and gave the other man a smile. "Sorry. I'm fine."  
"It's okay. Do you want to talk about it?"  
Oliver looked into Barry's bright, innocent eyes and for a second he wanted to tell Barry what was troubling him.  
'Don't,' a voice inside him warned, 'Don't corrupt him.'  
"I'm fine," Oliver repeated, the lie coming a bit easier now.  
Barry frowned slightly, but immediately lightened up when Oliver mentioned lunch.  
"Yes, please! I'm starving!"  
Oliver chuckled.  
"C'mon, then. I know the perfect place for you."

******************************************  
About 20 minutes later, the two were sitting at a booth in Big Belly Burger.

"Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that I was obsessed with superheroes?" Barry asked with a chuckle.  
Oliver nodded, also grinning.  
"Why?" Barry pressed and Oliver inwardly grimaced as he lied between his teeth.  
"I guess you've always found them fascinating. The impossible."  
Barry nodded in understanding.  
"So you're the Green Ar-,"  
"Shh!" Oliver hissed, reaching over to cover Barry's mouth.  
Barry raised an eyebrow at him and Oliver leaned in close to explain.  
"It's a secret, okay?"  
Barry nodded slowly, eyes twinkling mischievously.  
Before Oliver could figure out what he was planning to do, something wet swiped across his palm.  
"Ugh!" Oliver exclaimed, yanking his hand back, "What are you, 3?"  
Barry laughed and soon enough, Oliver found himself laughing along.  
They calmed down once the waitress brought them their order.  
"So who else knows about your secret?" Barry asked as he ate a french fry.  
"We'll, there's Felicity, Quentin - the man you met at the office -, my team, your team, and Sara's team," Oliver answered, naming the first people who popped into my head.  
"My team?" Barry repeated, expression adorably confused.  
It was then Oliver remembered that Barry didn't remember being a superhero. He grimaced inwardly. Idiot.  
"Your friends," Oliver corrected, "You know like Cisco and Julian and the others at Star Labs?"  
Barry smiled in understanding. "Oh!"  
"How did I find out?" He asked a second later.  
Oliver found himself smiling a little as he re-told the meeting of their first encounter.  
"...You mean to tell me that I injected you with rat poison? And you let me?!" Barry asked incredulously.  
Oliver chuckled. "I wasn't exactly in a position to refuse."  
"Still, what if I had killed you?"  
"I don't think you would have," Oliver replied, "My team trusted you and I trusted you."  
"Didn't seem like it from what you just told me," Barry snorted, "If anything you sounded like you were jealous."  
"Oh?" Oliver asked, taking a sip of his drink.  
"Mmmhh," Barry replied, "The only question is who you were jealous of Me or Felicity?"  
Oliver almost choked at that but managed to keep a straight face.  
"What do you think?" Oliver asked, calmly staring at him.  
Barry stared back, his vibrant green eyes searching for something in Oliver's.  
The archer wasn't sure what he found, but it was enough to make Barry look away, a light blush coating his features.  
Oliver checked his watch.  
"I think it's time to call it a night."  
Barry looked back at him, expression saddened.  
"Is someone coming to pick me up and take me to Center City?"  
"Central City," Oliver corrected, "And no. You're spending the night with me."  
"Cool!" Barry exclaimed with barely suppressed enthusiasm.  
Oliver grinned and climbed out of the booth, Barry exiting the opposite direction.

******************************************

They drove in silence, with the exception of Barry asking a question every couple seconds.  
When the questions began to gradually become less before disappearing altogether, Oliver looked over to see Barry asleep. He smiled at the sight before turning his attention back towards the road.  
After a couple minutes, Oliver arrived at his loft. He unbuckled Barry's seat belt and gently coaxed the younger man awake.  
"We're home, Barry," Oliver said gently.  
Or at least, what used to be home, he thought silently to himself.  
He shook his head to clear his thoughts and helped Barry out of the car.  
He half walked and half carried Barry to the loft.  
Barry leaned against him as Oliver fumbled for his keys to open the door. Once he finally got it open, Oliver gave up on supporting Barry and just carried him up the stairs.  
He rummaged through his drawers, pulling out one of Barry's sweatpants and shirts.  
Thankfully, Barry was too tired to recognize that they were his. That and, you know, his amnesia.  
Oliver pulled off Barry's jacket and proceeded to unbutton his shirt.  
Oliver pulled that off as well, wishing desperately that he was undressing Barry under different circumstances.  
You can't have him, his subconscious reminded him, You're a monster.  
"What's wrong?" Barry's sleepy voice asked.  
Oliver shook his head. "Nothing."  
He unzipped Barry's jeans and yanked them off quickly, but gently.  
After coaxing Barry into pulling the sweatpants on, Oliver slid a pillow under his head and brought the covers up to his chin.  
Barry snuggled into the warmth, a soft sigh leaving his lips.  
Oliver quickly changed and left, closing the lights and leaving the door open a crack.  
He made his way downstairs into the living room and sat on the couch.  
Sleep, since his week with Chase, had been nearly impossible.  
His nightmares had become close to unbearable. Usually, when Oliver went into one of his dark moods, Barry was there to coax him to sleep.  
Even when he did have nightmares, Barry was there to soothe him and tell him random anecdotes about his day; calming him down.  
Barry hadn't come to see him in three weeks. The excuse Oliver gave his team was that they were too busy with their respective cities. While the newest recruits might have believed him, both Felicity and John gave him scrutinizing looks, ones which he avoided.  
Oliver knew the real reason Barry was avoiding him.  
It started with an argument ...

"Oliver, why don't you talk to me?" Barry pleaded with him for what felt like the seventh time.  
Oliver scowled, "I'm sorry if relieving a week of torture isn't something I want to do, Barry."  
The speedster flinched at that.  
"I know that Ollie, but you have to give me something. Something's bothering you and I have a feeling it has nothing to do with you being tortured."  
"How would you know?" Oliver snapped, "Seeing as how you're rarely here, anyways."  
Barry looked away, guilt playing across his features.  
"I was busy, Ollie. You know that."  
Oliver rolled his eyes. "Yes with saving Iris and the future, right?"  
Oliver didn't mean for the words to come out sounding so mocking or maybe he did. Maybe he wanted to see Barry riled up and just as irritable as he was.  
Whatever his goal was, it worked.  
Barry turned to him and narrowed his eyes.  
"Yes. Is that a problem?" His voice was unnaturally cold.

You destroy everything you touch...

Oliver shook Chase's voice from his head, sticking his hands in his pockets as he answered Barry.  
"No, not at all! You're just doing what you do best, right? Saving people?"  
Barry scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Nothing," Oliver said breezily, turning around to walk away.  
Barry appeared in front of him, having used his super speed.  
"No, Ollie. Tell me what you mean."  
"I'm just saying that maybe if the problem wasn't caused in the first place, there wouldn't be a need for a solution."  
Barry scowled. "Are you saying Savitar was my fault?"  
"Wasn't he?" Oliver asked.  
Barry flinched taking a step away from him.  
"And Prometheus wasn't yours?" He countered, voice bitter.  
Oliver shrugged. "I wasn't a good person, Barry. You were."  
Anger washed over Barry's expression as hi eyes glowed with pain.  
"I'm still a good person, Oliver." His voice was hard.  
"Are you?" The archer countered.  
Barry opened and closed his mouth struggling for a comeback.  
"I think I'm going to spend the night at Iris's." He finally said quietly as he grabbed his jacket from the couch.  
Oliver nodded, feeling his throat clog up as Barry opened the door and left, slamming it closed behind him.  
Once he was gone, Oliver sank into the couch, head in his hands.  
Why did he push Barry away?  
Why did he purposely hurt the person he loved most in the world?  
Because you're a monster, Chase's voice answered him, You destroy everything you touch...  
Oliver didn't believe him as much as he did in that moment.

******************************************

"Ollie? Why aren't you asleep?" A voice called from the stairs.  
For a second, Oliver thought that the argument he and Barry had was just a dream and that Barry was in their room as he always was.  
But when Oliver looked at Barry, took in the innocence and light in his green eyes, he was reminded that this was a different version of Barry. The one untouched by darkness.  
"Ollie?" Barry asked again, making his way down the rest of the stairs.  
Oliver stared at him. "What did you call me?"  
"Um, Ollie? Oliver's kind of a mouthful and this feels...natural. Is that alright?"  
Oliver nodded slowly. "Yeah. Yeah, totally."  
Barry sat down next to him, bringing his feet underneath his body.  
"Are you okay?" He asked, "You seem...troubled."  
"I'm just... thinking," Oliver replied, "That's all."  
"About what?" Barry asked.  
"About someone, I hurt not too long ago."  
Barry tilted his head at him. "Was it an accident?"  
Oliver released a long sigh. "Yes. I mean, no. Not really. I did it on purpose."  
"Why?"  
"Because I was trying to keep him safe."  
"From what?" Barry asked.  
"Me," Oliver whispered.  
"But you're not dangerous." Barry pointed out with a childlike innocence that made Oliver flinch.  
"I am," Oliver said, staring down at his hands, "I destroy everything I touch and anyone who comes close me gets hurt."  
"Is that why you pushed him away?" Barry asked, oblivious to the identity of the "mystery man".  
Oliver nodded. "I had to hurt him. I had to show him that I wasn't good enough for him. He wouldn't have given up otherwise."  
Barry was silent for a long time.  
"He sounds like a great guy. You must love him a lot."  
Oliver looked Barry, taking in the unburdened glow of his eyes.  
"I do." He whispered, slightly taken aback by the light that seemed to be radiating from the other man.  
Oliver hadn't realized how close Barry was sitting to him.  
It also didn't help that Barry was staring at him intensely like he was looking for an answer to some question he had.  
Before Oliver even realized he was doing it, he was leaning forward and capturing Barry's lips in a kiss.  
Barry's lips moved against his own hesitantly, but with an earnest that made Oliver's lip quirk up a little.  
Barry pulled away first, studying Oliver's face.  
"Just so we're clear: I'm the man you were in love with, right?"  
Oliver answered him with another kiss, deeper this time.  
Barry moaned and wrapped his arms around Oliver's neck as he pulled him closer. The archer slid his hands up his shirt as they shifted their positions so that Oliver was on top and Barry was lying beneath him.  
Oliver pulled away to press kisses along Barry's neck savoring the whimpers that escaped the younger man's lips.  
Barry inhaled suddenly, causing Oliver to look up in time to see Barry's eyes spark with yellow lightning before the man disappeared.  
A second later there was a loud crash and Barry reappeared on the floor near a shattered lamp.  
Oliver scrambled up from the couch and went to Barry who was looking around him in shock.

 

"What the heck was that?"  
"Uh..." Oliver began.


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

"It was so cool!" Barry was telling Joe as they walked to the lab, "It was like electricity coursing through me. I can still feel it now!"  
Iris laughed sharing a smile with Oliver that he couldn't help but return.

After Barry's display of his powers, Oliver called Cisco who told him to bring Barry to S.T.A.R Labs. Letting Barry run to Cental City seemed kind of risky, so Oliver drove him there on his bike. Joe and Iris had greeted him at the door.  
They walked into the Cortex where the mood immediately dampened.  
Cisco, Julius, and Wally stood together in a small circle whispering among themselves.  
"Wow," Barry said, the smile on his face disappearing, "We just walked into a buzzkill."  
The group turned to look at him just as a woman stepped out of the medical bay.  
"Sorry," she said in a voice that echoed strangely, "My presence has that effect on people."  
Joe pulled out his gun and aimed it at her. "What is she doing here?" The detective demanded.  
Cisco rushed over and pushed Joe's arm down.  
"Joe, Joe! Calm down! She's here to help!"  
"Help?" Iris repeated, looking at her brother before staring at the woman.  
"Yes," the white-haired woman said, "I want to help you guys get Barry's memories back."  
Iris exchanged looks with her dad before clearing her throat and turning to Barry with a strained smile.  
"Barry, do you think you could wait outside for a minute?"  
"Sure!" He said before turning to the woman with a smile, " Hey, are you like a supervillain or something?"  
The woman gave Barry a deadpan expression that would have been comical under different circumstances.  
Barry left, muttering under his breath, "I was just asking."  
Once he was gone, Oliver turned his attention back to the strange woman.  
She caught his gaze and smirked.  
"Nice to see you again, Oliver."  
Again?  
"How's the nightlife treating you?"  
There was no mistaking the knowing tone of her voice and Oliver stiffened.  
"How...?"  
"You don't remember me, Ollie? I'm hurt. And after all those times I've helped you."  
Oliver studied the woman closer. If he replaced her eerie blue eyes with warm brown ones instead, the woman looked a lot like...  
"Caitlin?" Oliver asked in shock.  
She smirked. "I go by Killer Frost now."  
Oliver looked over at Cisco who simply rubbed his forehead. "It's a long story."  
"Yes," Killer Frost agreed, "One we don't have time for if you want me to help Barry."  
"Why do you want to help Barry?" Iris asked, stepping forward, "What do you get out of this?"  
Killer Frost rolled her eyes. "Barry and Savitar are connected. If Barry loses his memories, so does Savitar. And if Savitar doesn't remember anything then..."  
"He never gives Wally his speed." Cisco finished for her.  
"Cause and effect."  
Iris looked at her brother in confusion. "What?" She asked.  
Wally grimaced. "I lost my speed."  
"What will Central City do without two Flashes, let alone one?" Killer Frost asked with the smallest smile.  
"And what if we don't?" Iris challenged, "Barry still has his speed and Wally can teach him everything he needs to know."  
"Are you sure you're willing to wait that long?" Killer Frost asked as she walked over to Barry's suit, "I mean, there are a lot of villains who would pounce on your precious city, given the chance. And I'd say, this is the perfect chance."  
The team all exchanged looks.  
"Tick Tock." Killer Frost said.

********************************************************************************

Oliver watched as Barry sped around the track in a blur of yellow lightning.   
"It's amazing, isn't?" Iris asked, startling him.  
He had almost forgotten she was here.  
"Yeah." He answered.  
Barry appeared in front of them with a breathtaking smile.   
"That was awesome!" He exclaimed.  
"Glad you're having fun," Oliver said, handing him a cloth to wipe his forehead.  
Barry grinned as he took it. "I-I think I could be a superhero."  
Oliver couldn't help but laugh at that and Iris joined in. Even Joe chuckled.  
"Is it cool if I run some more?" Barry asked.  
"Knock yourself out," Joe answered and Barry gave another blinding smile before disappearing once more.  
Iris sighed as she watched Barry run. "I don't think I've ever seen him so happy. So...light."  
"Yeah." Oliver agreed.  
Joe gave his daughter a prying look. "You act like you don't want Barry to get his memories back."  
Iris looked away. "I mean, is it so bad if he were to stay this way? Without horrible memories weighing him down?"  
Joe sighed. "I want Barry to be happy too, Iris. But this isn't our Barry. Our Barry had twenty-eight years of experience."  
"Yeah and many of those years were filled with pain and sadness," Iris pointed out.  
She turned to Oliver.   
"You agree with me, right?"  
Oliver tilted his head from side to side, weighing the pros and cons of Barry's memory loss.  
One notion came out on top.  
"I want him to be happy," He said, "Truly happy."  
Iris turned back to Joe with a triumphant smile.  
"See?"  
Joe sighed and opened his mouth to say something just as his phone rang.  
He pulled it out and looked at the screen.  
"I need to take this." He said and started towards the door before stopping to look at them.  
"We'll finish this conversation later."  
After he left, Iris walked behind a desk and took a seat at a chair.  
They watched Barry run in comfortable silence for a while.  
"Hey, Oliver?"  
"Yes?" He replied.  
"Would I be overstepping my boundaries if I asked why Barry was avoiding you?"  
Oliver turned to look at Iris who was leveling a calm stare at him.  
"We got into an argument." He finally said.  
Iris made a 'go on' gesture with her hands and Oliver sighed.  
"I said some things that hurt him."  
"Why?"   
"I was trying to show him that he could do better than me."  
"Well, what if Barry doesn't want better? What if he wants you?"  
She paused there and gave a nervous laugh.  
"That sounded much better in my head."  
Oliver smiled at her for a second, before looking away.  
"I'm...not a good person, Iris. Barry doesn't know what I really am."  
"None of us are good people, Oliver. Even Barry has his moments of darkness."  
Oliver snorted. "I seriously doubt that."  
Iris shook her head.  
"No, it's true. Sometimes we put Barry on a pedestal and expect him to be hopeful and happy and light. We sometimes forget that he's only human and like all humans have darkness in him. He just happens to look for the brighter parts of life. And you Oliver are one of those brighter aspects of his life. Whether you believe it or not. He needs you."  
As Oliver processed what Iris said, Cisco came over the intercom.  
"Um, guys? Could you come into the cortex, like right now?  
Oliver and Iris exchanged worried looks.

*****************************************

"This guy is free because I didn't testify?" Barry asked, taking in the burning building on the screen.  
His green eyes looked guilty and Iris rushed to reassure him.  
"It wasn't your fault, Barr. You weren't even in the city."  
Barry shook his head.   
"I have to help. Memories or not I have to."  
"Then go," Oliver said, "We'll help from here."  
Barry gave him a grateful smile and disappeared, only to return a second later.  
"I need that, don't I?" He asked, pointing to his red suit and Oliver nodded.  
He disappeared again, this time with the suit.

*****************************************

A loud thump came over the earpiece and Oliver started.  
"Are you okay, Barr?" He asked.  
"Yeah," came the breathless reply, "Just that stopping is a whole lot harder than it looks."  
Oliver chuckled grimly at that and looked at the screen. The flames on the building were burning brighter than ever.  
"Barry?" Cisco asked, wringing his hands, "If you're going to make a move dude, do it now!"  
"It's too much!" Barry said, the fear in his voice tangible, "I can't do it!"  
"We need his memories back." Joe said, "Have you come up with anything?"  
"Yes, as a matter of fact," Cisco said and pulled out an object that looked suspiciously like a car battery.  
"This is connected to electro-transmitters in Barry's suit."  
"You're going to perform electro-therapy on him?" Iris asked incredulously.  
"Yep!" Cisco said, looking incredibly nervous.  
"Do it," Oliver said, looking at the burning building on the screen.  
Cisco nodded.  
"Barry, buddy? This is either going to sting, pinch, or really suck! Possibly all three."  
"Wait, what?" Barry asked.  
Cisco flipped a switch and Barry cried out in pain.  
"Barry, are you okay?" Oliver asked.  
"Yeah, but I still don't have my memories!"  
"His temporal lobe has been stimulated," Killer Frost said, "We just need a visceral memory to jump start the rest."  
Iris grabbed an earpiece and gestured for Oliver to follow her.  
He went out into the hallway with her and she held the device towards him.  
"It's a one-way line. Only he can hear you. Tell him something."  
"What?" Oliver asked, taking the earpiece from her.  
"Anything! Just do it fast!"  
Oliver brought the earpiece up.  
"Barry, can you hear me?"  
"Oliver? I can't! The fire's too big!"  
"Yes, you can Barry because you're the Flash. The day after we met Barry you spent 9 months in a coma. Do you know what you did when you woke up?"  
"Drink lots of coffee?" The speedster joked weakly and Oliver laughed.  
"Not quite. Barry the first thing you did when you discovered you had powers was try and save someone. And when it didn't work, you came to me and told me that you thought you were just some guy struck by lightning. That wasn't true Barry and it still isn't. That lightning chose you to be a hero. A guardian angel. The Flash. That's when I fell in love with you, Barr. On that night, on that rooftop. Do you remember that?"  
Over the earpiece, Barry inhaled sharply.  
"Barry?" Oliver asked concerned.  
"I remember. I remember everything."  
Oliver sighed in relief and walked into the cortex just as Wally was speeding away.  
Iris walked over to him. "I see you've managed to restore his memory."  
Oliver released a breath.  
"Yeah."  
"So, what now?"  
Oliver hesitated to answer and his phone vibrated in his pocket.  
He pulled it out and read the incoming text from Felicity.  
"Now, I am needed in Star City," Oliver said.  
Iris raised an eyebrow at him.  
"Should I send him your way?"

"Sure."

**Author's Note:**

> Feel pleased to leave nice comments and kudos!
> 
> (I'll be posting sometime this week for my other story :)


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